Exports for the coffee year ending September marked the first year-on-year decrease in five years, according to the International Coffee Organization (ICO).
Arabica exports were down 1.9% for the year and robustas were lower by 4.9%. The only bright spot was an 11.6% increase in exports of Colombian milds.
Brazil reported exporting 36.3 million bags (m.bags), up slightly from the previous coffee year. Vietnam disappointed with a 20 million bag decline, falling 19.2%. Production in Colombia has returned to pre-disease levels with 12.3 m.bags. Indonesia coffee production increased to 7.3 m.bags, and Honduras production rose to 5 m.bags.
The year-end numbers led ICO to revise its forecast for 2014/15 to 143.3 m.bags, down 2.3% compared to last year.